A casino is a place where people can gamble on games of chance. These places are typically outfitted with stage shows, dramatic scenery and a variety of games. However, there have been less extravagant places that house gambling activities and could still be called casinos. For instance, a card club might have a game of poker and a pool table, but no stage show or drama.
A gambling establishment has to meet certain legal requirements to be considered a casino. It must have a gaming license and must pay taxes to the local government. In addition, it must have a certain level of security and offer a number of incentives to keep gamblers coming back. A good example is the comp, a free item or service that casinos give to their best players. This can include hotel rooms, free meals and tickets to shows. High rollers get even more lavish inducements, such as limo and airplane tickets.
Most American casinos are located in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and on Native American reservations. Some states allow casinos on riverboats. Many of these facilities generate billions of dollars each year for companies, investors and Native American tribes. They also provide jobs and attract tourists. The profits from these businesses flow into the communities where they operate, but critics argue that the costs of compulsive gambling outweigh any economic benefits.
Because so much money changes hands inside casinos, security is paramount. Most casinos have cameras throughout the facility, monitoring every movement and detecting cheating or theft. On the floor, dealers are heavily focused on their own game and can quickly spot blatant cheating such as marking or palming cards. Pit bosses and table managers have a broader view of the games and can spot suspicious betting patterns.
Casinos have several other security measures in place as well. They may have a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” system that watches every table, window and doorway, or they might have security workers watching each game from a separate room filled with banks of security monitors. Slot machines are monitored electronically, and each machine has a special chip that tracks winnings and losses.
The typical casino gambler is a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above average income. These women, who typically have more leisure time than young adults, make up the largest group of casino gamblers. The percentage of Americans who have visited a casino has increased significantly over the past decade. This increase is largely due to the fact that more families are dual-income households and have more discretionary spending money. These trends are expected to continue. In addition, there are more opportunities for Americans to gamble at home through the Internet and other technology. These factors will continue to drive growth in the casino industry. For these reasons, the American Gaming Association expects revenue to rise over the next few years. This is despite the ongoing recession and slumping housing market, which has dampened consumer spending in general.
